Coronavirus: Seven new cases reported in Galway today

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November 1, 2020

People have been warned to be careful when buying goods from a website called irelandsstore.com.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) issued the warning today after an assessment ‘raised concerns’ about the website.

Businesses operating online via websites and e-commerce platforms have to provide specific information on consumers’ statutory rights and how they may be exercised.

They must also give a range of details about the trader and their business operations.

The CCPC actively monitors websites to check compliance with consumer protection law and as a result of these activities is currently conducting an assessment of the irelandsstore.com website.

Initial findings from this assessment have raised concerns and the CCPC is advising consumers to exercise caution if buying goods from irelandsstore.com.

Consumers who have experienced difficulties with this website are asked to contact the CCPC. Consumers can get information on their rights when shopping online by calling the CCPC consumer helpline on 01 402 5555 or visiting ccpc.ie.

The CCPC reminds businesses that they must comply with consumer protection law in all circumstances.

Businesses selling goods or services through a website or an e-commerce platform are required to provide correct and full information so that consumers can make an informed decision when buying goods and services and exercise their consumer rights when necessary.

Facebook to provide free training for SMEs in Galway this week

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November 1, 2020

Facebook Ireland will be providing free training for SMEs in Galway this week through its ‘Boost with Facebook’ series.

On Tuesday, 3 November, the virtual training event will focus on helping SMEs utilise Facebook messaging platforms to grow their business and drive results.

Facebook experts will show SMEs how to personally connect with customers through Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp to showcase their products and services and how to use special tools to automate, sort and quickly respond to messages from customers.

Minister for Disability and Galway East TD Anne Rabbitte will provide opening remarks on how the Government is supporting local businesses at this challenging time.

Guest speaker Aoibhín Garrihy, Irish actress, businesswoman and influencer, will host a small business panel with Mayo businesses Marrey Bikes and TheMathsTutor.ie as well as Moher Cottage from Co. Clare, to discuss how they have adapted to keep their businesses afloat in response to COVID-19.

SMEs will also hear from Kenny Deery, Chief Executive of Galway Chamber who will give a regional outlook on the business environment and they will receive advice, information and practical support from the Galway Local Enterprise Office (LEO). The online event is free and people can register to attend at Boost With Facebook .

Commenting on the importance of supporting SMEs during COVID-19, Ciaran Quilty, Vice President of Global Business Group at Facebook said: “Small and medium sized businesses in Galway are currently facing the challenge of a lifetime.

“The need to move fast and adapt has been crucial to the survival of many SMEs. At Facebook, we want to guide and support them as they move their business online by sharing advice, training and inspiration and help boost their digital skills to recover and grow.

“Also, we recently launched a Season of Support hub to help SMEs get Christmas ready. The hub has a range of resources such as free training, support and insights designed to help businesses continue to reach customers during this busy season.”

Small businesses in Ireland have been most affected by COVID-19 and need training and digitalisation assistance as consumer behaviour shifts online.

A recent survey conducted by OECD, the World Bank, and Facebook revealed that over 40% of Irish SMEs adapted to the pandemic by setting up a website or online business presence.

For some SMEs in Ireland, the task of moving to a digital platform can seem daunting. With this in mind, Facebook launched its virtual Boost with Facebook series to Cork, Dublin and Galway over the past few weeks.

The first session took place in Cork on 20th October, with An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, welcoming SMEs from the locality and sharing details of Government supports. Facebook’s training series is free to attend with past webinars available to rewatch at Boost with Facebook.

Ongoing repair works may cause water outages in Newcastle

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November 1, 2020

Galway Daily news Water outages in Moycullen

Water outages are expected again in the Newcastle area of Galway City next week due to ongoing mains repair works.

Irish Water are carrying out mains repairs on the Upper Newcastle Road as part of the National Leaks Reduction Programme.

The works are scheduled to take place from Monday, November 2 through to Friday November 6, from 9am to 6pm.

While work is taking place, homes and businesses on the Upper Newcastle Road and surrounding areas may experience water outages or supply disruptions.

People affected by this are advised that it may take 2 – 3 hours after work is completed for their full water supply to be restored.

Updates on both situations can be found on Irish Water’s Supply and Service website page, or by contacting Irish Water’s twitter account @IWCare.

Melbourne Cup Countdown Begins

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Thomas O'Brien

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November 1, 2020

The Melbourne Cup is the headline act of the Melbourne Spring Carnival features to take place and the countdown is on to the 2020 edition of the Race The Stops A Nation.

The Spring Carnival will be like no other in 2020, for unfortunate reasons due to the global Covid-19 pandemic rather than any record breaking stats. But that hasn’t stopped the excitement beginning to build among horse racing fans.

The grandstands of Caulfield on Caulfield Cup Day on October 17, Moonee Valley for Cox Plate Day on October 24, and Flemington for Melbourne Cup Day on November 3, may not be packed for any of the three feature races of the Spring Carnival. In fact, they may be empty if small crowds aren’t permitted to return to venues in Victoria before then.

But the news that international runners will be able to head to Melbourne to contest the 2020 Melbourne Cup, coupled with the two-month countdown to the first Tuesday in November, has combined to get punters itching for the Flemington showpiece.

Entries for the $8 million Melbourne Cup are up on 2019, the race in which Australian-bred Vow And Declare ended the run of international runners winning the famous race.

Despite a limited number of international trainers being permitted to enter Victoria for the Spring Carnival, the numbers of total entries have jumped from 152 to 174.

Almost a sixth of the 174 entries are from international stables with 30 declared runners from overseas, and there is no rising optimism that the 2020 Melbourne Cup will live up to the billing of previous editions.

The entries includes 25 Group 1 winners, underlining once again the high-quality field that will line up at Flemington.

Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien, who won the race with Rekindling in 2017, and his father Aidan O’Brien make up 16 of the 30 overseas entries for the Melbourne Cup. They include the Joseph-trained Master Of Reality, who finished second last year before being demoted to fourth.

Father Aidan has entered the 2019 Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck, Sovereign and Santiago among others as he bids to win an elusive Melbourne Cup.

It was another O’Brien who won the race last year as Vow And Declare triumphed for Australia. Danny O’Brien looks set to send the champion on a mission to join an elite band of back-to-back winners.

Stablemates Russian Camelot, one of the favourites since winning the South Australian Derby, and Miami Bound, who won the VRC Oaks on Cup week last year, give O’Brien a strong hand once again.

It all stacks up to the 2020 Melbourne Cup being another notable race and once which will have a high-quality field, despite the possibility of not crowd to welcome home the winner.

image credit: Chris Phutully via Flickr

Connacht Rugby adds Cormac Daly on short term contract

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November 1, 2020

Connacht Rugby adds Cormac Daly on short term contract

Former Irish U20 player Cormac Daly has joined Connacht Rugby under a short term deal.

The 6’6’’ lock will provide additional cover following a number of international call-ups and injuries in the second row.

Daly (22), is a Kildare native who came up playing for Leinster, and also previously played for Ireland internationally on the U20 side.

He has a recent history with the province, having trained with the Connacht Professional squad during the 2019/20 season.

Committee of Inquiry to review citizenship application refusals

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November 1, 2020

galway Daily news Lockdown creates long delays in immigration and asylum services

The Minister for Justice and Equality Miss Helen McEntee recently announced that a new Committee of Inquiry has been set up to review Irish citizenship application refusals where a person has been refused due to national security concerns.

Mr Justice John Hedigan, a retired and most respected Judge who sat on the High Court, Court of Appeal and European Court of Human Rights will serve as the single member of this committee.

Since the end of September this year, where an Applicant is refused am application for Irish citizenship, either in whole or in part due to national security concerns, they may now seek disclosure of the information which the Minister for Justice relied upon in refusing the application.

An application for disclosure of the information must be submitted in writing to the member of the single person committee within three months of the decision to refuse their citizenship application.

The committee member will then consider the request and advise the Minister for Justice and Equality whether to:

Disclose none of the information to the applicant.
Provide partial disclosure of the information to the applicant.
Provide full disclosure of the information to the applicant.

Where partial disclosure is recommended, the member must provide the Minister an indicative wording as to the “gist” of the information that might be shared.

The Minister will then consider the advises of the member but will retain the power to issue the final decision on disclosure.

Whilst the introduction of a committee of enquiry has been broadly welcomed, some reservations have been expressed as to whether it would have been more appropriate to establish a committee with a number of members as opposed to a single member committee.

The fact that the member is appointed by the Minister for Justice and reports to the Minister has also raised questions with respect to independence.

Notwithstanding this, we fully support the establishment of the committee and the fact that applicants who are refused their citizenship applications based on national security concerns will now receive due process in having the opportunity to seek disclosure of the information which has been relied upon by the Minister for Justice in refusing their application, is a significant development.

It is important to note that only applicants who have been refused Irish citizenship due to national security concerns can avail of this process.

Applicants who have been refused for other reasons, such as previous criminal convictions, absences from the State or other reasons should seek legal advises to establish whether there are grounds to challenge any such refusal by way of judicial review, or any alternative options available to them.

Sinnott Immigration Solicitors have extensive experience in all Irish citizenship and immigration law matters. If you have any queries contact their Immigration Department today on 00353 1 406 2862 or info@sinnott.ie.

Heroine Of The Hour – Enable

By

Thomas O'Brien

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November 1, 2020

Galway Daily gaming The Feature Races at the Galway Festival

Enable steps foot on a racecourse for the final time at Paris-Longcham, as she again bids to become the first three-time winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

John Gosden’s filly first attempted to seal a hat-trick in Europe’s most prestigious flat race 12 months ago. Despite hating the heavy ground, it looked like Frankie Dettori’s mount had done enough to repel her challengers again. That was until Andre Fabre’s Waldgeist flew home with a late charge, and pipped Enable to the post.

Prince Khalid Abdullah, Enable’s owner, delighted fans last winter when he announced his top mare would stay in training as a six-year-old. Enable may have been beaten on her reappearance in the Coral-Eclipse by a race-fit and fearsome rival in Ghaiyyath, but she has since regained that winning touch, collecting a third King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, and a second September Stakes in her pre-Arc warm-up.

Enable is one of the most prolific mares in the history of horse racing. In recent times, only Willie Mullins’ heroine Quevega – who won the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival for six years in succession – can claim to have enjoyed as much success as Enable at the highest level.

Gosden’s mare won six Group Ones as a three-year-old in 2017, a sequence which included wins in the Epsom Oaks, the Irish Oaks and a first victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Having spent most of 2018 on the treatment table, Enable returned to Longchamp and successful defended her Arc crown, before going on to claim a famous victory in the Breeders’ Cup Turf out in America.

Enable’s 2019 campaign will be remembered for that narrow defeat at Longchamp. It’s easy to forget that she’d already won the Coral-Eclipse, King George and the Yorkshire Oaks before entering the stalls at Longchamp.

Some have said Enable has looked below her best this term. There’s also the small matter of Love for Enable to overcome. Aidan O’Brien’s three-year-old has been peerless this term, winning the 1000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the Yorkshire Oaks during her unbeaten campaign. Love enters the Arc as the hot-favourite, and will be gaining a significant amount of weight from her older rivals.

Enable is already as one of the greatest horse of her generation, regardless of her performance in the 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. If Frankie Dettori can work his magic one last time and help Enable make history, then John Gosden’s heroine will be remembered as the greatest race-mare this sport has ever produced.

Coronavirus: 5 deaths and 416 new cases reported today

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October 31, 2020

The Department of Health has reported 416 new cases of COVID-19 and five further deaths related to the disease.

Thirty-seven new cases were reported in Galway, which has the fourth highest number of new cases after Dublin, Cork and Mayo.

Of the cases reported today, 64% are under 45 and the median age is 34.

Dr. Tony Holohan said that we are making progress in suppressing the current rise of COVID-19.

“Ireland is currently one of only four countries in the EU with a reduction in its 7-day incidence. Nationally, our reproductive number has reduced to about 1.0.

“We are working collectively to achieve suppression, but it is too early to ease our efforts.

“The incidence is decreasing in young adults but it continues to rise in those aged over 75. We have more to do but we are on the right track.”

Fifth weather warning issued for Galway this week

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October 31, 2020

galway daily news Storm Deirdre weather warning downgraded for Galway

Galway has been issued yet another weather warning by Met Éireann ahead of strong winds tonight.

The warning comes into effect at 11.00pm, and will be lifted at 6.00am tomorrow morning (Sunday).

Met Éireann says that strong winds will reach speeds of 50 to 65 km/h with gusts between 90 and 100 km/h. Winds will be strongest along coastal areas.

The Halloween weather warning is Galway’s fifth this week, in what has been a mostly mostly miserable end to the month.

And the bad news is that the stormy condiditons are set to continue, with more cold and windy weather expected to dominate in the first week of November.

Varadkar denies “inaccurate and grossly defamatory” allegations

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October 31, 2020

Galway Daily news no confidence leo varadkar fine gael dáil What is in Phase 3 of the accelerated plan to end the lockdown?

Leo Varadkar has released a statement this afternoon saying that allegations made in an article published by Village magazine are “inaccurate and grossly defamatory”

The statement was made following calls from opposition parties for the Tanaiste to comment on allegations outlined in Village magazine today.

The statement confirms that when he was Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar shared the GP deal with Maitiu Ó Tuathail between 11 and 16 April 2019.

But it denies the deal was in any way sensitive, as the IMO had already revealed most of the detail in a press release on 5 April.

“The Agreement was provided to Dr Ó Tuathail, as President of the NAGP in circumstances where the Taoiseach believed that the deal was a positive one for General Practitioners that the Government wished to see implemented,” the statement said.

It said that the claim that he broke the Official Secrets Act was “manifestly wrong” – as the definition of ‘public office’ in that Act excludes members of the Oireachtas.

The statement also denied that he breached the Criminal Justice Act, because there is no evidence that the Taoiseach received any “gift, consideration or advantage for himself”.

More to follow…

Increase in COVID-19 patients in Galway hospitals with 24 confirmed cases

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October 31, 2020

The number of people hospitalised with COVID-19 in Galway has continued to climb steadily, with 24 confirmed cases in Galway hospitals.

The latest figures from the HSE show 19 patients with confirmed diagnoses of COVID-19 at University Hospital Galway, and a further 5 at Portiuncula Hospital.

Three of the confirmed cases at UHG were hospitalised in the 24 hours prior to 8pm on Friday night.

Of those hospitalised at University Hospital Galway, 3 are in the ICU, and Portiuncula Hospital has one COVID patient in Intensive Care.

There are a further 7 suspected cases of COVID-19 at UHG, and just one suspected case at Portiuncula.

Nationwide, the latest HSE figures show that there are 312 confirmed cases in hospitals around the country.

There were a further 41 confirmed cases reported in Galway yesterday, out of a national total of 772, as the number of daily cases has continued to decline in Level 5 lockdown restrictions.

A further 6 deaths related to the disease were also reported by the Department of Health on Friday.

“The overall situation has improved, but we have to remember that these are very early days,” said Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, adding “This improvement will only be maintained if we keep going in our efforts.”

Status Red alert issued for extremely stormy seas

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October 31, 2020

Galway Daily weather Storm Debi - Status Red Storm Warning for Galway coasts

A Status Red marine warning for extremely stormy seas off the west coast of Ireland today has been issued by Met Eireann.

West to southwest winds will reach gale force 8 or strong gale force 9 today on Irish coastal waters from Loop Head to Malin Head to Carlingford Lough and the north Irish Sea according to Met Eireann.

But even worse conditions are expected along the west coast, with Storm force 10 winds occurring on the seas from Slyne Head to Rossan Point to Fair Head.

The waters between Erris Head in Mayo and Bloody Foreland could see winds reaching violent storm force 11 today as well.

Headed into Saturday night southerly winds veering westerly will reach gale force 8 or higher on all Irish coastal waters and the Irish Sea.

Galway is currently under a Status Orange weather warning for heavy winds today as Storm Aiden is affecting the west coast.

Winds this afternoon could reach average speeds of

Over 200 homes in Galway without electricity

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October 31, 2020

Galway Daily news SHundreds of homes remain without power in Galway after severe weather

Power outages have left over 200 homes and businesses in the Glenamaddy area without electricity this afternoon.

There are currently four separate faults in the Glenamaddy area which are affecting the electricity supply to 212 properties.

The ESB is currently estimating that repairs to these faults will be completed by 3:45pm this afternoon.

There is also an outage reported in Ballinasloe, which has left 38 properties without power.

Galway is currently under a Status Orange weather warning for Storm Aiden, with winds reaching mean speeds of 85km/hr expected this afternoon.

Donegal, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Clare may also experience gusts reaching up to 130km/hr today Met Eireann has said.

The Orange weather warning for Storm Aiden will be in force until 4pm on Saturday afternoon.

Remembrance Run 2020 – walk or run in memory of someone special

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October 31, 2020

galway daily sport March for Maroon with Galway GAA to help local charities

A very special virtual event, the Remembrance Run / Rith Cuimhneacháin will take place next month when people will go out and walk or run in memory of someone special in their lives.

The event is being organised by Athletics Ireland and promoted by Language Planning Officers in the Gaeltacht for the first time.

This is not a competition, or a challenge, but rather an opportunity for people to go outside and quietly walk or run whatever distance they want in their own area and remember their relationship with someone special.

Participants will be invited to share the names of those people, and memories or messages in Irish about them on the Virtual Wall of Remembrance, which will be broadcast on facebook on the day.

Majella Ní Chríocháin, Language Planning Officer for Pobal Rua in An Cheathrú Rua, said the Remembrance Run on November 8 is a chance to “recognise and remember” people who have passed away,

It also provides an opportunity to keep in mind “those who are struggling in some way at the moment, or even those who are far away and who we cannot visit because of the pandemic.

“Those we keep in our hearts, we will remember them as we walk or run, by ourselves or with our family, on Sunday 8 November.

“We hope that the candle in the Remembrance Run logo will act as a point of contemplation and as a flame of hope for us in these challenging times.”

Athletics Ireland established the Remembrance Run in 2011 and it used to take place in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, but because it will be a virtual event this year, one can take part anywhere, as Barry Pender of Athletics Ireland explained:

‘Athletics Ireland are delighted to be working with the Language Planning Officers on this year’s Remembrance Run, and to provide opportunities to people all around the Gaeltacht to take part.’

You can register for the Remembrance Run in Irish at jotform.com/202892372730052, and the link is available on Pobal Rua’s facebook page.

Roadworks in Tuam to disrupt traffic for a week

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October 31, 2020

Galway Daily news Roadworks to disrupt traffic near Portumna on Tuesday

Roadworks in Tuam town will resume on Monday, November 2 for an expected duration of one week.

Galway County Council is carrying out resurfacing overlay works on the R-332 Dublin Road in Tuam.

These works had originally started in the middle of the month, with an estimated week long work time, but are now continuing next week.

The roadworks are taking place between the junction with Athenry road and Tuam Stars GAA.

In order to facilitate these works, the road in question will be operated on a Stop/Go system during the hours of 8am & 6pm from Monday, November 2.

As a consequence users of this road should allow additional time for their journeys”

40 NUI Galway researchers awarded Irish Research Council funding

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October 31, 2020

Forty researchers at NUI Galway will receive funding under the Irish Research Council’s prestigious Government of Ireland funding programme.

Among the researchers at NUIG to receive funding are Judit Villena Rodó, Joanne O’Dwyer and Martin Kenny, and 296 scholars in total will receive funding through the programme.

The awards represent an investment of over €21 million in early career research, across all academic disciplines.

“I am delighted to announce this investment by government in developing the next generation of research leaders across disciplines,” said Minister Simon Harris.

“Across higher education, enterprise, civil society and the public sector, expert knowledge and skills is a critical need for our present and our future.

“The awards announced today support a pipeline of research talent which will be at the forefront of addressing the many challenges and opportunities we face.”

Congratulating this year’s awardees, Irish Research Council Director, Peter Brown, said that the Irish Research Council Government of Ireland awards form a critical pillar within Ireland’s research and innovation eco-system.

“The two programmes, addressing postgraduate and postdoctoral research, are the only ones of their kind in Ireland, funding excellent research across all disciplines and are highly competitive, nationally and internationally,” he said.

“Awardees benefit greatly from having obtained a research award in their own name, demonstrating world-class potential in their chosen field from early-career stage.

“Through this and other IRC programmes, the Council continues to deliver the best and brightest research talent for Ireland.

“Working hand-in-glove with our research-performing organisations, awardees will expand the frontiers of knowledge and generate the research and innovations that will help to address national and global societal challenges.”

Details of the 40 NUI Galway researchers and projects

Judit Villena Rodó has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Migrant Women, Coercive Control and Intimate Partner Violence: an examination of women’s ability to access remedies in Ireland and Spain.’

Joanne O’Dwyer has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Creation of effective targeted immunotherapy in a local refillable delivery system for ovarian cancer.’

Martin Kenny has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Queer Connections: identifying and expanding a sense of a queer national consciousness through the production, presentation and reception of Irish theatre and performance, from 1960 – 2020.’

Aislaigh Cahillane, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Narratives of Water (In)Justice in Contemporary Hydrofictions from Australia, Ireland and the United States of America.’

Alan Keane, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘The Development of a Next-Generation Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy for Critical Limb Ischaemia.’

Beatrice Canossi, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘The use of truth commissions’ evidence in prosecutions: bridging gaps and information sharing between international prosecutions and truth seeking mechanisms.’

Clara Mallon, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Invisible Ireland? Performing and Representing the Working-Class in Irish Theatre during the Celtic Tiger Era.’

Dakota Holmes, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Providing Insights from Climate Archives (PICA): a multiproxy approach for the reconstruction of AMOC response to Quaternary climate events.’

Deborah Malone, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Investigating limitations on Adaptive Optics performance for the European Extremely Large Telescope.’

Deborah Mireles, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Understanding Subsidiary Managers Engagement in Strategic Activities.’

Divya Ravikumar, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Food provision and the homeless population: working together to enable solutions.’

Elizabeth Quirke, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘“When They Talk About Mothers”: Investigating Queer Kinship in Contemporary Poetry.’

Emma Corley, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia: Characterising the Combined Effects of Common Genetic Variation and Early Life Adversity.’

Federica Modafferi, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Investigating the Transgenerational Inheritance of Centromeres using a Bovine In Vitro Fertilisation Model System.’

Francesca Guido, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Recovering the sources, influence and transmission of Charisius’ Latin grammar.’

John Ivory, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘The reliability and diagnostic validity of clinical manifestations of biofilm in venous leg ulcers.’

Kathy Dillon, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Representing the ‘Other’: The Sociological Importance of Contemporary Francophone women writers: Leïla Slimani, Noufissa Sabï and Houria Boussejra.’

Keith Lyons, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Venomous Invaders: Investigating the role of venom in ecological invasions.’

Laura Cutugno, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Genetic characterisation of the Vibrio vulnificus stressosome and its role in stress response and virulence.’

Lioba Verena Speicher, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘The Old Norse Sagas of Antiquity: a study in cross-cultural Classical reception and transnational networks in Medieval Scandinavia, Ireland, and Europe.’

Lorene Lefebvre, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: Deciphering mechanisms of Biological Nitrification Inhibition (BNI) in forage and model grasses.’

Maria Cullen, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Humanitarian aid in hostile environments: comparing the emergency relief operations of Oxfam and Médecins sans Frontières in the Global South, 1979-1986.’

Mary Hopkins, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Preclinical and clinical investigation of the endocannabinoid system as a viable novel target for diagnosis and treatment of low back pain.’

Marylette Roa, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Diversity and ecology of squamate gut microbiome.’

Megan Winterlich, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Synthesis and characterisation of novel magnetic metal organic frameworks for a targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs through magnetic dynamic therapy.’

Michela Dianetti, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘The Narrative of Objects as Ethical Facts in Iris Murdoch and Elsa Morante.’

Nikolett Warner, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Being diagnosed with cancer promoting genetic mutations BRCA 1 and 2 in Ireland: Development of an intervention to enhance coping skills and improve knowledge.’

Seun Adebayo, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Developing more culturally responsive pedagogies with Irish primary school teachers using a learning study approach.’

Siobhán Hamon, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Therapeutic potential of parasite-derived immunomodulatory peptides in the treatment of sepsis and acute kidney injury (AKI).’

V’cenza Cirefice, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Local environmental resistance to extractivism in Ireland: A feminist environmental justice lens.’

Ciaran Arthur, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Intentional Obscurity and ‘Divine Speech’ in Early English Texts.’

Cliona Hensey, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Reconstructive Memory Work: Trauma, Witnessing and the Imagination in Contemporary Writing by Daughters of Harkis.’

Dieter Reinisch, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Changing patterns of political violence and peaceful protest in European democracies: A historical comparison of social movements in Germany and Ireland.’

Dnyaneshwar Garad, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Sulfamidates as Electrophilic Reagents for the Site-Specific Incorporation of Biologically Relevant Post-translationally Modified Lysine Residues into Protein.’

Dualta O Fionnagain, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Characterising high speed transient radio emission from planetary electrostatic discharges using the Owens Valley Low Wavelength Array.’

Gabriel Krasovec, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Exploring the morphogenetic functions of apoptosis in the cnidarian Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus.’

Mehmet Gurdal, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Development and assessment of full-thickness scaffold-free human corneal equivalents using macromolecular crowding.’

Saidulu Konda, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Development of novel constrained sia-gal mimetics for the prevention of influenza virus infections.’

Sirsendu Bhowmick, a researcher at NUI Galway, has been awarded the Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship to conduct research on a project titled: ‘Fabrication of bioinspired artificial extracellular matrix scaffold for diabetic wound care.’

How to land a job during COVID-19

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October 30, 2020

galway daily news jobs sigmar covid-19 vacancy

With Level 5 set to last for around five more weeks and uncertainty about what restrictions will be in place in the coming months, those in search of a new job may feel they are facing an uphill battle.

But for those on the job hunt during the pandemic, it is important not to give up. That’s according to Sarah Hayes of Sigmar Recruitment, who says that there are a number of things people can do to improve their likelihood of finding a job.

“Look at what is in your span of control and be proactive,” says Sarah. “The labour market has turned on its head since March and is constantly changing with government restrictions being implemented.

“But it’s important not to give up as there are companies still hiring.”

Top 5 tips to improve your chance of finding a job during COVID-19

Analyse the market

Where are the jobs right now? Well, there are certain sectors that have been decimated by the pandemic, but others are still going strong. For example, DPD have just announced that they are expanding their operations and will create 700 jobs before the end of the year. Sigmar is hiring most across Manufacturing & Engineering, Technology & IT, Construction, E-Commerce, Customer Service, Health & Safety and Supply Chain & Logistics.

The Lifesciences/ Pharmaceutical sector is busier than ever right now, with resumed elective surgeries, vaccine development, diagnostic testing and respiratory device production.

Many companies are looking for multilingual speakers, for whom there is a great demand. So if you speak more than just English, there are opportunities out there.

Familiarise yourself with who is hiring – keep an eye on the news, set up job alerts on the jobs boards, follow companies on LinkedIn, identify a recruitment consultant that recruits in your area and ask them to keep you updated on the market.

Market yourself

Your cover letter, CV and your LinkedIn profile are your primary tools to market yourself. Prepare your CV, spend time on it and ask a recruitment consultant to help you to get it right (they will do this free of charge).

Your CV and cover letter should always be tailored for the role you are applying for. Look at the job spec and mirror it back in your CV.

It is also extremely important to keep your LinkedIn profile up to date. Make sure you have a profile picture, create a compelling summary, add your projects, populate the skills section, and remember when recruiters and even bots are searching for profiles they search for keywords and buzzwords. If you don’t have these, then your profile might be missed.

Change your status to ‘Open to new opportunities’ and get active on LinkedIn – don’t just sit back and wait for someone to contact you! Connect with hiring managers and HR professionals in the companies you want to work for, send them your CV directly and ask them whether they are hiring. You should also follow the company pages so that new job announcements will show up in your news feed, in case you miss your dream job!

Network online

Joining groups and forums relevant to the job you are looking for and skills that you have can be a great way to build connections and relationships with people who have similar profiles.

Networking can be a great way of finding a job – some experts say that over 70% of jobs are found by networking.

So as well as keeping an eye on the best recruitment websites, get networking and boost your chances of finding that dream job!

Upskill

It’s a great time to identify gaps in your skillset and upskill – look at jobs being advertised online and see if you can identify any particular skills/qualifications that you are missing that might help with securing that job in the future.

In lockdown, many people are finding themselves with much more free time than before – so what better time to look for online courses to close those gaps in your knowledge, learn a new skill set or even a new language.

There are countless apps and online courses out there – so find out where you’re lacking and get learning!

Open up your search

Perhaps one of the more positive things to come out of the pandemic is that people are becoming less tied to one location, as companies are learning that working from home is not only possible, but also beneficial for many people.

There are a lot of remote working positions out there now, so don’t just limit yourself to searching for a position in your direct locality.

Open up your search and keep an eye on jobs advertised in different locations but can be worked from home.

Step out of your comfort zone

To stand out from the crowd, you may have to be creative. With Covid-19, there has been a shift towards video interviewing but Sigmar is also seeing an increase in video applications.

Get yourself in front of a camera and talk through your CV and reasons for applying for a particular position (remember, like in your CV, to tailor your answers depending on the job!). You can send this video along with your CV, or directly to a hiring manager through LinkedIn.

When it comes to interviews – most are taking place virtually. Therefore it is important to ensure you are prepared – make sure you have been sent the link in advance!

It is also important to check that you have a good internet connection, that your camera is working and positioned appropriately, your background is professional, you are dressed appropriately. Look directly at the camera to make eye contact, and let them know that you’re the ideal candidate.

If you do all of this, you give yourself every chance of landing a new job, even in the most unusual of times.

Offaly woman based in Galway makes Final 12 of Miss Universe Ireland 2020!

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October 30, 2020

An Offaly woman based in Galway has said she is ‘delighted’ to have made it into the Top 12 of this year’s Miss Universe Ireland contest.

Abi Yusuff, origingally from Edenderry in County Offaly, has been living in Galway for a number of years after moving here to study accounting at GMIT.

She then went on to work in the finance sector in Claregalway as a trainee financial advisor.

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Una publicación compartida de 👑Miss Universe Offaly👑 🇮🇪☘️ (@abbii_badmus) el 26 Sep, 2020 a las 2:12 PDT

“At the moment, I currently work in a Medical device company called Medtronics,” said the Miss Universe Ireland hopeful.

“We manufacture ventilators and ship them worldwide, helping during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Abi was chosen as a finalist from 200 applicants and hopes to be chosen as Miss Universe Ireland in December, to proceed to represent her country at the Miss Universe pageant.

“I will be representing my town, city, county and country – and I couldn’t be more delighted with this. I’m looking forward to this new beginning and journey,” she said.

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Una publicación compartida de 👑Miss Universe Offaly👑 🇮🇪☘️ (@abbii_badmus) el 22 Sep, 2020 a las 12:07 PDT

Voting will be opening soon on the Miss Universe Ireland website.

Follow Abi on Instagram!

Man faces trial for allegedly assaulting woman twice

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October 30, 2020